Richard Newton

A student asked me the other day whether King's legacy is something to be given up since it can be used for contrary ends. My piece doesn't answer this with a clear answer. I do hope that it leaves readers asking that question. To me that question is a prior step to ruthlessly careful and self-conscious criticism.

What is it that we are are hoping students gain from our classes? What do we want them to experience? What excites us about what they'll bring to the table? What scares us about it? What are we too quick or too afraid to name in our courses of study?

Instead of trying to decide whether a Muslim kid of African descent really built a clock or just assembled its pieces from a hobby kit at Radio Shack, maybe we should be asking why that isn’t enough to merit recognition in a STEM-loving world with kids who've never seen a soldering iron.